This is a excerpt of one of Malcolm's most famous speeches "By Any Means Necessary."
Life Influences
Malcolm Little's mugshot at age 21 after trying to pick up a stolen watch he had left for repairs at a jewelry shop.
Malcolm X was originally born as Malcolm Little in Omaha, Nebraska, and grew up in Lansing, Michigan. As a child, he was negatively influenced by many people. Hostile white people treated his family poorly and unfairly. Also, social workers who worked with his family were unsympathetic towards them. At a young age, his family broke apart. All of these factors contributed to Malcolm X’s later arrest. He dropped out of school at age 15, and was soon put in prison for burglary. While in prison, he became interested in Islam, and joined the Black Muslims. He was released in 1962, changed his name to Malcolm X and became one of the most vocal leaders of the Black Muslims.
Achievements Malcolm X made many advancements for the Black Muslim and African American communities. He established his own Muslim mosque after leaving the Black Muslims. Also, he founded the
Malcolm X addressing a crowd at a rally in Upper Manhattan, NY
Organization of Afro-American Unity, which was a nonreligious group created to further liberate the black Americans. He became the minister of many temples, like the NOI Boston mosque, Temple No. 11, Temple No. 12, and Temple No. 7. After traveling to Africa and making the pilgrimage to Mecca, which all Muslim’s aimed to do in their life, Malcolm X was determined to encourage unity among black people throughout the world. After drifting away from the Black Muslims and their strict practices of black separation, he led the Unity Rally, in Harlem, known as one of the largest civil rights events in America, and spoke on many occasions. He was known as one of the most sought out speakers in the United States. However, before he could see his plans for racial equality make a large impact, he was assassinated at a meeting in Harlem in 1965.
Malcolm’s Motto “...Bring about the freedom of these people by any means necessary. That’s our motto.” This is a quote from one of Malcolm’s more
A poster of Malcolm with one of his most famous quotes at the top.
famous speeches. Malcolm stressed how important freedom and justice were and how when achieving it, it will be done by any means necessary. This meant that anything would be done, up to and including the use and action of violence. There were two limits to the violence being advocated by Malcolm X. The first being that Elijah Muhammad spared Muslims the need to engage in any violence knowing that it would result in starting a literal war. The second being Malcolm’s own personality, by never engaging in violence himself and being extremely polite to the white “ole ugly pale things,” he referred to the whites to in many of his speeches. Also, he always claimed the violence as defensive, and a form of self defense. Malcolm also defused many crowds and situations when he feared things were going to get out of control.
Malcolm’s Message Malcolm X was a very strong believer in equality and justice. Malcolm X hated the term negro, and preferred black or afro-americans, which is what he usually referred to himself as. Due to the complexity of Malcolm X’s personality and way of spreading his ideas, many blacks struggled to figure out the meaning of his message. He stressed the importance about the meaning of justice and how no matter what blacks should have that. He scolded any blacks for worshipping whites. He spoke about how awful and immoral the whites were, and taught the afro-americans to turn away from the incompetence and immortality of the United States. The turn-the-other cheek philosophy is something practiced by a lot of people, which Malcolm absolutely despised. Whites made blacks feel worthless compared to themselves. Before Malcolm X, many afro-americans didn’t consider themselves beautiful and full of worth. Many of the afros believed that the whites were right, and what they were doing were justified. Malcolm said no way that what they were doing was correct. He preached, “Do onto others as they have done to you: an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a hand for a hand.” That was Malcolm’s vision of justice.
Malcolm giving a speech in Harlem, with the famous pointing finger pose.
This is a excerpt of one of Malcolm's most famous speeches "By Any Means Necessary."
Life Influences
Malcolm X was originally born as Malcolm Little in Omaha, Nebraska, and grew up in Lansing,
Michigan. As a child, he was negatively influenced by many people. Hostile white people treated his family poorly and unfairly. Also, social workers who worked with his family were unsympathetic towards them. At a young age, his family broke apart. All of these factors contributed to Malcolm X’s later arrest. He dropped out of school at age 15, and was soon put in prison for burglary. While in prison, he became interested in Islam, and joined the Black Muslims. He was released in 1962, changed his name to Malcolm X and became one of the most vocal leaders of the Black Muslims.
Achievements
Malcolm X made many advancements for the Black Muslim and African American communities. He established his own Muslim mosque after leaving the Black Muslims. Also, he founded the
Malcolm’s Motto
“...Bring about the freedom of these people by any means necessary. That’s our motto.” This is a quote from one of Malcolm’s more
famous speeches. Malcolm stressed how important freedom and justice were and how when achieving it, it will be done by any means necessary. This meant that anything would be done, up to and including the use and action of violence. There were two limits to the violence being advocated by Malcolm X. The first being that Elijah Muhammad spared Muslims the need to engage in any violence knowing that it would result in starting a literal war. The second being Malcolm’s own personality, by never engaging in violence himself and being extremely polite to the white “ole ugly pale things,” he referred to the whites to in many of his speeches. Also, he always claimed the violence as defensive, and a form of self defense. Malcolm also defused many crowds and situations when he feared things were going to get out of control.
Malcolm’s Message
Malcolm X was a very strong believer in equality and justice. Malcolm X hated the term negro, and preferred black or afro-americans, which is what he usually referred to himself as. Due to the complexity of Malcolm X’s personality and way of spreading his ideas, many blacks struggled to figure out the meaning of his message. He stressed the importance about the meaning of justice and how no matter what blacks should have that. He scolded any blacks for worshipping whites. He spoke about how awful and immoral the whites were, and taught the afro-americans to turn away from the incompetence and immortality of the United States. The turn-the-other cheek philosophy is something practiced by a lot of people, which Malcolm absolutely despised. Whites made blacks feel worthless compared to themselves. Before Malcolm X, many afro-americans didn’t consider themselves beautiful and full of worth. Many of the afros believed that the whites were right, and what they were doing were justified. Malcolm said no way that what they were doing was correct. He preached, “Do onto others as they have done to you: an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a hand for a hand.” That was Malcolm’s vision of justice.
For more information on the life of Malcolm X: The Official Malcolm X
Biography Of Malcolm X